Linichuk Interview

She has tremendous experience with victory. She has six times led her champions to the world title. In Washington, Natalya Linichuk’s students Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh could have won again. But for gold they lacked just one judge’s vote.

Q: Natalya, what do you think of the new system in which 5 judges of fourteen are absolutely not included and the judges give their marks anonymously?

A: “I’ve noticed that the judges’ posture is better, they are not afraid to show their opinion. Maybe this system isn’t ideal, but it’s working. Before the worlds, nothing criminal happened. But in Washington, a portion of the judges gave Bourne and Kraatz a gift for long patience. These skaters were in the world elite for many years, but were never champions. SO they pitied them. By the way, if you add all 14 marks, Lobacheva and Averbukh would have been first. I think their free dance in rock and roll style looked more
winning.”

Q: Was there any danger that for some extravagant moves the judges could lower the scores?

A: “We have no elements forbidden by the rules. For example, Ilya jumps over his partner. Where is it written that you can’t do that? You can’t lay on your partner’s neck, sit on the neck and stand, but you can spin the partner and round the neck and Ilya does do that in the dance.”

Q: Have you had serious conflict with Ilya and Ira?

A: “We’ve had creative differences. In 1999, the kids decided they could do everything themselves, chose their own choreographer and made a program that I didn’t like. Especially the music. I said right away, this wont’ work. But Ilya was stubborn. Then he realized he was wrong and we quickly changed music, but it was late and the kids were without medals at the main starts. “In the summer of 200, I chose Bach for the free. Ilya said with sarcasm, Natalya Vladimirovna, do you want to put the final nail in our coffin with Bach’s help?” I answered then, this is the only music – no others. If you don’t like it, there is the door, I don’t keep anybody.” In a few months, they beat Bourne and Kraatz at the Grand Prix. Moreover in Canada. And the audience seeing this program, wept.”

Q: Lobacheva and Averbukh announced they are retiring? Are you trying to keep them?

A: “The kids are at that age when you need to think about the future. I know Irina wants a baby. I will be happy if they stay, but they have the last word on this.”

Q: Your former students Tatyana Navka and Roman Kostomarov are progressing, they took second at the Grand Prix Final and nearly bronze at worlds. Are you surprised?

A: “When I created this pair, Roman was categorically opposed to skating with Tanya. He thought he neated a more lively, quick partner and a bit smaller in size. It was so much labor to convince him. It seems, I didn’t try for nothing.”

Q. Ukrainians Grushina and Goncharov left you for Tarasova. Why?

A: “I had finished my contract with them and we decided not to extend it. That’s all. In general, I have become a bit of preparatory worker for Tatyana. Before the Nagano Olympics my students Grishuk and Platov left for her. It’s life and I’m not offended.”

Q: Do you associate with Oksana Grishuk anymore?

A: “Why not? She had a daughter recently, she calls about every three weeks from Los Angeles. She sent pictures of her daughter, Grace Skyler. The baby has SUCH cheeks! Oksana says she is happy. She wanted to try herself
out in Hollywood, but that didn’t turn out so far. By the way you’re right, now she’s not Pasha but Oksana. As before. She thought up Pasha for Hollywood.”

Q: They said you sued her for money. What happened? Did she pay you?

A: “According to our contract, a portion of the prize money for Grishuk and Platov was to go to us as payment. IN America you don’t have to stamp it – just signatures of both parites is enough. When Grishuk and Platov went to Tarasova, they forgot us.”

Q: And after that you still associate with them!

A: “Of course, it’s unpleasant to sue your students, but… I know Oksana since she was 12, Zhenay a bit less. There is so much connected with them. They left me for Dubova, then returned. I made them the best pair in the world. You never forget the best. Recently Platov decided to be a coach – he works with the Israelis Galit Chait and Sergei Sakhonovski. Zhenya came up to me, asked for advice. I see that he was listening to my recommendations.”

Q: Another of your students, two-time world champion Angelika Krilova tied her life up with an Italian choreographer, Guiseppe Arena, who is 15 years older than her. Did it surprise you?

A: “Nothing surprises me. Many things happen in figure skater that are best not to announce. Angela had problems with being overweight, she broke the diet. Now, she doesn’t have that – strict Giuseppe won’t let her indulge.”

Q: How did Oleg Ovsiannikov, Angelika’s partner, respond to the appearance of the Italian? Did he have nay plans for her?

A: “ I didn’t notice that. The guys agreed right away that they would only work together. Oleg was very caring for her and tended to her when she was in the hospital because of her back problems, but no more than that. They were like
brother and sister.”

Q: You and Gennadi Karponosov worked in America for 9 years. When does your contract with University of Delaware run out?

A: “You won’t believe it, but we work without a contract, The main thing is they give us free ice. When Krilova and Ovsiannikov had to stay in Moscow in 1999, we asked our own Dinamo to let them train, the phone calls started. “First, the money”. And we had agreed through acquaintances! Therefore, we aren’t rushing to leave Newark. All the right conditions are there.”

Q: What does your daughter do?

A: “Ballroom dance. Nastya decided that 3 figure skaters for one family was excessive. She turned 18 on February 13. Thankfully, on her birthday – for the first time in many years – I was home. We sent papa to the Four Continents competition.”

Re: Linichuk Interview

Re: Linichuk Interview

Lininchuk sounds real nasty. She managed to say something negative about every one of her pairs: L&A wanted to do it on their own and failed; N&K are only together due to her insight and perseverance; G&P did not want to pay her (according to Oksana, Lininchuk spent no time with them leaving them to train on their own); Angelika had weight problems until she found a strong man to reign her in. Yucks.

Re: Linichuk Interview

Ptichka, ITA--better she should be like Tarasova for whom all students have great potential. After all, the students are customers; she should treat them with respect. No wonder many leave when they have enough reputation to get another world class coach to take them.

But if she was responsible for L&A 911 program, I would like to kick her. I think of all the traumatized NYC kids and citizens watching the murders of their parents, friends, police, fireman, reenacted for people to clap at. Tasteless. Just as the endless pictures were off the air, this came up. I cannot comprehend the mind of someone that thinks reenacting nearly 3000 murders, especially during the first year of mourning, especially in the country where the crime took place, as an entertainment / sport for their own medal. How could they do this to those poor people. Whole thing still makes me boil.

Re: Linichuk Interview

Doris, from what I understand Lininchuk in general has undue influence in Russian ice dance, probably due to her being best friends with Piseev's wife. Since being named the head ice dance coach by the Russian federation, she has taken on too many students; this forced her to play favorites, and really bury a lot of talent.

Re: Linichuk Interview

<blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>But if she was responsible for L&A 911 program, I would like to kick her. I think of all the traumatized NYC kids and citizens watching the murders of their parents, friends, police, fireman, reenacted for people to clap at. Tasteless. Just as the endless pictures were off the air, this came up. I cannot comprehend the mind of someone that thinks reenacting nearly 3000 murders, especially during the first year of mourning, especially in the country where the crime took place, as an entertainment / sport for their own medal. How could they do this to those poor people. Whole thing still makes me boil.[/quote]

Aren't you being a little (okay, VERY) harsh? I think it was done as a tribute. I didn't find it tasteless at all. They were doing a good thing, honoring, not degrading, the lives lost. I'm sure if B&K did this theme, it would be sweet and tear inducing, but of course, the "eville" Russians can't do anything right <img src="http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif" style="border:0;"/>.

Re: Linichuk Interview

Well, if Linichuk came up with the 9/11 program for L&A, I wouldn't kick her, but if the opportunity ever arose, I'd tell her how tasteless I thought it was and how little apparently she understands how Americans feel about it.

To me, it would be like Lang and PPT wearing radioactive burn makeup and burnt-away ragged costumes to honor the victims of Chernobyl.

Re: Linichuk Interview

thuvdragon,
Yes, I am being very harsh. But I still have that level of anger. Lot of reasons. As it happened, I was in Yale New Haven hospital at my oncologist's while the towers were falling watching TV in the waiting room as they fell, watching the doctors wait for the victims that never came because they were all dead. Talking to one friend on the cell phone who lives in that district, but was OK, but she and daughter traumatized from watching the people jump off hand in hand from her window. Talking to the people next door to us whose son in law was talking to one of the McKinley Cantor bond traders on the phone when the second plane hit. (everyone on that floor died) Seeing it every night on Tv for weeks. It was constant on TV, more so than other parts of the country, except in DC, which was also a target. Trying to find a friend who worked from time to time on the McKinley Cantor floor, luckily discovering he had just been moving, but we thought he was dead for over a week. Many friends hunting for their relatives in the city. Some dead, thank god, none close friends of mine, but linked to those I know.

Even in upstate NY, where we live, the schools had programs to help the children deal with the trauma and the fear. Over half the children were thought to be having problems with fears and nightmares, needing a therapist.

Maybe in 10 years time I could see this program as art.
The anger is in proportion to the effectiveness of the program.

And maybe it was well meant. But Averbukh stated that his goal was to show the angst, as well. Well, I had had enough angst. I was still sleeping with all the lights on, and obsessively watching the TV news about terrorists when I first saw this program (they had it for Grand Prix). And it gave me a wicked flashback. Hate to think what it did to the children.

And no, B&K, if they did this program, I would be just as mad.

Heck, even Sarah Hughes, who comes from one of the hard hit Long Island communities, if she reenacted it, would make me mad. As it was, she did a program where she laid flowers on the graves. Even that made me cry, but at least not boil with anger.

Do you understand one reason no ticker tape parade was given for Sarah Hughes? No one wanted to see any more financial papers falling from the skies at that time.

If your relative had been murdered, would you want to see their death mimed? Even by a close friend?

Re: Linichuk Interview

But anyway. I can understand your feelings, Doris, AND I didn't like the program cause it seemed to me that they overdid it (with the costumes e.g.) - but for me that's a problem L&A not only had once. On the other hand I must admit it was a difficult situation for the skaters. If all of them had chosen very upbeat numbers there might also have been the complaint that they didn't adapt to the situation. In a way, after 9/11 everything you did could be wrong....

Re: Linichuk Interview

"If all of them had chosen very upbeat numbers there might also have been the complaint that they didn't adapt to the situation."

BS IMHO.

What the @#$% does Olymips Ice Dancing have to do with current political events? Are we mad a Kristi because she didn't do her LP themed to Desert Storm? Are we mad at Peggy because Rosetti Opera has no obvious connection to the Vietnam conflict? Are we mad at John Curry because Don Q isn't about the energy crisis? Was T&D's bolero about Iran/contra and I missed it?

9/11 efected the whole world, but in particular NYC (I was there). It has absolutely nothing to do with SLC or the Olympics and certainly not Ice Dancing.

Like Doris, I'm still fuming over this shockingly tasteless oportunistic theft of someone else's tragedy for entertainment purposes.